Lil Wayne - 500 Degreez

While the Cash Money Records label continues to suffer through the free-agent exodus of its hottest emcee, Juvenile, Lil Wayne has been slotted in as the crew's go-to griot. However, on 500 Degreez Wayne's inability to rap about subjects other than Bentleys, babes, blunts, and booze severely limits his career possibilities. On the profanity-laced "F*** You" and "Gangsta S***," his mediocre and indistinct rhymes and flows are barely saved by Mannie Fresh's electro-funk beat schemes. That's not to say that Fresh isn't coasting either, performing his normal interpolation-heavy productions (e.g., "Way of Life" is a spin-off on Junior Mafia's "Get Money"). Why Lil Weezy would spend three-quarters of his studio time boasting about how much moola he makes ("Get That Dough") and how great he thinks he is ("Look at Me") is anybody's guess. The one time Weezy does go introspective on "Young'n Blues" it's already too late, because he's already branded himself a hip-hop jester. --Dalton Higgins Amazon.com

More Like 5 Degreez (2 and 1/2 stars)

Okay. You all know that Juvenile left Cash Money at this time and words were exchanged with Lil Wayne and now we have this sorry attempt at a comback. For starters Lil Wayne can flow well on occasion. Most of the time he falls on his face especially when he feels himself. This album shows you that arrogant rappers will always fail to make a quality album. The Good: Way Of Life was a decent first single. Gangsta's And Pimps is not bad even though Jazze Pha's awful singing could be left off the track. Bloodline and Where Ya At show his bits and pieces of his true potential. Gangsta S*** feat Petey Pablo is a dope collabo.
The Bad. Look At Me is corny. Lovely is not far behind. Worry Me, Young N Blues and Fo Sheezy tranquilizers on wax. Go Hard is just as pathetic.
The Ugly: Lil Wayne's cheap rendition of Juvenile's 400 Degreez is so lame it's shameful. F*** You is the worst subliminal diss I've ever heard and lines like "I get sums and lumps like the measels" make every claim that Lil Wayne is best rapper alive seem laughable. Get That Dough sounds like clown music and all those skits are stupid and repetitive. Dishonorable mention: What Does Life Mean To Me. Bottom Line: Lil Wayne's 500 Degreez is a tepid release from a rapper who believes all the hype around him too much. The production was weak, the guest were wack and Wayne sounds pretty bored on here. If Lil Wayne really believes that he is the greatest of all time then he needs to put his Cash Money where his mouth is and prove it by making quality albums not this half-a**ed commercial s*** I heard on here. And to think he thought that he could surpass Juvenile's 400 Degreez with this lukewarm release. Boy was he wrong! January 30, 2007

Weak album, even for Weezy fans

In 2002, Lil Wayne released his third album "500 Degreez." This album is Wayne's worst, displaying a lot of problems. Although his first two albums were entertaining Cash Money Records productions, this album simply doesn't deliver like those two did. At this point in his career, Weezy was lyrically not the rapper he would become in his early 20s, still in a teenage phase rapping mostly about money, cars, and prosperity, which is fine given the right production. The problem is, even the production on this album is lacking. Mannie Fresh is a great producer by all means, but on this disc he sounds like he is on cruise control, just like Wayne on the mic. At first, this album seems like one of the many inconsistent Cash Money records, and you're listening through the filler tracks waiting for the banging, excellent single track to come. On "500 Degreez," that song never comes, and there's no standout on here at all. Wayne spends a lot of the album trying to one up the 1998 album "400 Degreez" by Juvenile, who had just left the label. I consider "400 Degreez" a classic, it is the best Cash Money Records album in my opinion, and in trying to top it Wayne fails miserably. There are some cheap and failed imitations of songs on that album. The guest appearances are formulaic and the album is just weak as a whole. As someone who has thoroughly enjoyed many Cash Money albums, I was disappointed with "500 Degreez."

After a very familiar-sounding intro, the album begins with "Look at Me," which is nothing special but actually turns out to be one of the album's better tracks. "Way of Life" has lyrics that put me to sleep and uses a totally played-out sample that I've heard ten times before at least. "Gangstas and Pimps" has a decent chorus but the raps are weak and don't match it. "Lovely" is tirefully boastful and has completely uninteresting production. "Gangsta S..." is okay, and "Bloodline" has probably the best beat on the album. "Worry Me" and "Where You At" are also two decent songs, but completely forgettable. "500 Degreez" jacks the beat from Juvenile's great song "400 Degreez," and Wayne lazily tries to turn Juve's original lines around on himself, I really dislike this song. Lil' Wayne uses a boring flow to deliver worn-out bragadagio on "Go Hard," and while "Young'n Blues" is a pretty solid song lyrically it's not at all memorable. The Big Tymers save the otherwise abysmal "Believe That," and for the rest of the album, tracks like "What Does Life Mean to Me" and "Get That Dough" provide no highlights. The skits scattered throughout the album add absolutely nothing, using the played out radio station-as-interludes cliche.

I don't recommend "500 Degreez," even to Wayne fans, for this is his worst album. There's really not much good I could say about it, the lyrics are poor and the production is uninteresting. It really just doesn't seem like anyone tried hard enough on this album. To fans new to Lil' Wayne, I suggest starting out with his debut "The Block Is Hot" or either one of his "Tha Carter" albums. To other fans interested in buying this album, I suggest the Big Tymers "Hood Rich," a similarly concepted album that came out the same year and is much better executed and entertaining and is supremely superior to this album. This is a weak effort that I suggest avoiding. December 7, 2006

Lil Wayne - 500 Degreez

After taking a year off the scene, Lil Wayne returns with his follow-up to "Lights Out" with "500 Degreez." After Juvenile released the supposed classic with "400 Degreez", Wayne is out to prove that his spit game and this album is wayyy hotter.

1. Fly Talkin' (Intro) - No Rating

2. Look at Me - 4/5

3. Way of Life (Featuring Big Tymers & TQ) - 3.5/5

4. Big Tigger Live on the Radio (Skit) - No Rating

5. Gangsta and Pimps (Featuring Baby) - 4/5

6. Lovely - 4/5

7. Gangsta S*** (Featuring Petey Pablo) - 4.5/5

8. Big Tigger Live on the Radio (Skit) - No Rating

9. Bloodline - 4/5

10. Where You At - 4.5/5

11. Worry Me - 4.5/5

12. 500 Degreez - 4.5/5

13. Go Hard - 4/5

14. Young'n Blues - 3/5

15. Believe That (Featuring Blaque & Mannie Fresh) - 3.5/5

16. Rob Nice Live on the Radio (Skit) - No Rating

17. F*** You (Featuring Big Tymers) - 4/5

18. What Does Life Mean to Me (Skit) (Featuring TQ & Big Tymers) - No Rating

19. Get That Dough (Featuring Baby, Tateeze & Cristale) - 4/5

20. Fo Sheezy - 4.5/5

21. Fly Talkin' Go Home (Outro) - No Rating

Overall:

60.5/75

3.5 Stars

After 2 solid (for the most part) efforts, this album is below them both. Production is very very solid (minus 2 or 3 tracks) but the hooks are wack on lots of them. It doesn't even feel like a Southern album like it should be. Only check it out if your a die hard fan of Lil Wayne, Cash Money Records or the Hot Boys. September 9, 2006

Oh GAWD...

This is the best lil wayne CD, Get outta here this is the worst CD in Cash Money Records what was he trying to do, and then calling his title 500 degreez? I dont know what he was trying to do with this album trying something new but it obviously didnt work. Overly done bass and awkward beats with weak choruses. This CD is full of non-Cash Money cameo appearances and Lil Wayne rarely rapped. Cop any other Cash Money Record cd, but this. The Block is Hot is Lil Wayne's best CD. What was lil wayne thinking. April 27, 2006

Its 500 not 400 degreez

F all you juvenile fanboys this album its hot from beggining 2 end don't listen 2 these hatin ass reviewers so what if he's braggin about how much sh*t he has and you suckas a do it 2 if ya had it so don't hate this dude is spittin fire ans sh*tin on his old label mates as well stop playin this weezies company this is a classic cash money album all that old sh*t is dead respect it or check it if you like lil wayne get this album as well as all his other albums you will not be disapointed this reviewers just don't know what they talkin about February 4, 2006

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